Guided Rituals==============Read====“This is how you will ordain Aaron and his sons to their offices, just as Ihave commanded you. The ordination ceremony will go on for seven days. Eachday you must sacrifice a young bull as a sin offering to purify them, makingthem right with the LORD. Afterward, cleanse the altar by purifying it; makeit holy by anointing it with oil. Purify the altar, and consecrate it everyday for seven days. After that, the altar will be absolutely holy, andwhatever touches it will become holy.

“These are the sacrifices you are to offer regularly on the altar. Each day,offer two lambs that are a year old, one in the morning and the other in theevening. With one of them, offer two quarts of choice flour mixed with onequart of pure oil of pressed olives; also, offer one quart of wine as a liquidoffering. Offer the other lamb in the evening, along with the same offeringsof flour and wine as in the morning. It will be a pleasing aroma, a specialgift presented to the LORD.

“These burnt offerings are to be made each day from generation to generation.Offer them in the LORD’s presence at the Tabernacle entrance; there I willmeet with you and speak with you. I will meet the people of Israel there, inthe place made holy by my glorious presence. Yes, I will consecrate theTabernacle and the altar, and I will consecrate Aaron and his sons to serve meas priests. Then I will live among the people of Israel and be their God, andthey will know that I am the LORD their God. I am the one who brought them outof the land of Egypt so that I could live among them. I am the LORD theirGod.” / (Exodus 29:35-46)

Reflect=======Why did these sacrifices involve such detailed rituals? Partly, this helpedIsrael remember their identity as God’s people. A central form of worshipmaintained a consistent set of shared beliefs and prevented disunity thatcould arise from individuals creating their own worship practices. Also, theunited practices differentiated the Hebrews from the pagan Canaanites whomthey would meet in the Promised Land. By following God’s instructions, theHebrews could not possibly join the Canaanites in their immoral religiouspractices.

These rituals also showed Israel that God was serious about his relationshipwith them by emphasizing his holiness. The priests, the clothes, theTabernacle, and the sacrifice had to be clean and consecrated, prepared tomeet God.

Today we can fall into taking God for granted, rushing into worship, andtreating him with almost casual disregard. But the Israelites were remindedthat we worship the almighty Creator and Sustainer of the universe.

When you pray or worship, remember Israel’s sacrifices and come before Godwith reverence and repentance.

Respond=======Spend some quiet moments reflecting on God’s holiness. Then praise him andthank him for who he is and what he means to you.